analysis of 3 music videos (1)

Analysis of 3 Similar Products to Main Piece

All American Rejects – Dirty Little Secret http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDcwjJ8pLg

Genre elements Conventions presented in the Dirty Little Secret VideoPerformers/Characters – representations, stereotypes, behaviour, body language, specific pop stars

The performers are shown to the audience by their performance of the song. The performers represent stereotypical bands which are all male. They all play instruments, guitar, bass, drums and there is a lead singer. The main performer, the lead singer Tyson Ritter is composed in the middle of the band to show to the audience who is the main focus of the band.

Genre Type: Performance, Narrative or Conceptual? Are there elements of each? Describe them. If there is a narrative, what type of narrative is it? (Linear/Non Linear?)

The video is of a more alternative rock pop genre which through the narrative it tells a story about secrets. The narrative is non-linear and linear as the music video is told by the narrative of the song about ‘dirty little secrets’ whilst the audience visuals the secrets revealed throughout the music video by people. The narrative begins the way it ends; the ending of the quick cuts of the secrets hold up by all the people is the beginning of the video. The performance of All American Rejects are playing instruments and singing in a room where its empty with all the secrets on cards are shown behind the band as they play.

Iconography – props, symbolic codes

The props that are included within the video are the instruments the band plays, representing the bands that perform using their own music. The secrets are symbolic throughout the video, each secret is written on a piece of card and shown holding up to the camera, they represent the video and what the narrative is.

Setting- mise en scene The mise en scene of the music video is how the clips of people who are holding the secrets up are in everyday life, making the secrets seem realistic towards the audience. The setting of the band performing as if they are in a warehouse, the floor is damp which reflects the lights of the back wall where the secrets are posted upon. The costumes of the band members represent the alternative rock genre that they represent, the skinny jeans, long hair and the t-shirts that they wear.

Technical and audio codes – camera use, editing, lighting, diegetic/non diegetic sound, sfx

The camera uses medium long shots and close ups when it shows the people holding up the secrets on card. This lets the audience have a chance to read the secrets each time they are visual. The medium long shots of each person holding up the secret are fast pace cuts, this represents how people have secrets that they hide from the world. The camera cuts of the heads of the people in each shot, this represents how people are hiding their secrets and want to keep them remaining

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDcwjJ8pLg


secrets. The lighting is high key when the people are shown holding the secrets up, the contrasted colours represent the happiness yet they are holding these secrets. The low key lighting when the band are performing is lit dark as a connotation to what they are singing, ‘Dirty little secret’. The diegetic sounds are when the band are performing with their instruments as they are singing. The non-diegetic is the song when the visuals of the secrets are being shown.

Neale’s ‘Mental Machinery’: How does the text meet audience expectations? How does it conform to convention and/or deviate from convention?

The producers include the genre of the music to represent within the band, the alternative rock genre. The genre is represented by the mise en scene, the costumes, instruments and the type of music that they are playing, as alternative rock music is associated with bands in skinny jeans, long hair and guitars. The music video is aimed towards a teenage audience from 14-25, the video works as it includes the audience within the video by the realistic secrets their fans could be hiding. The gender of the music video is more towards a female gender as it is a ‘man-band’ performing where their fans are more or less female. However this music video attracts both male and female genders as they can relate towards the secrets shown.

What ideologies are encoded in the music video?The message of the video is how the band are revealing to their audience that everyone has secrets, dirty little secrets that they like to keep and they cannot help but have them. That it is natural to have secrets.


Mcfly- Love is Easyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APlPjz9Ry84

Genre elements Conventions presented in the Love is Easy VideoPerformers/Characters – representations, stereotypes, behaviour, body language, specific pop stars

The performers to the audience as they perform the song, knowingly to the camera. They behave in the natural way in which the guys act within daily life, showing their personalities. As a band the only stereotypical representation is the fact is they are all dressed the same (suits) and playing instruments (which shows they perform their own music and as a band offer their sound) There isn’t a lead singer shown as one to the audience but as two, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones who share the stage up front. Their music video is aimed towards their audience, an audience who already

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APlPjz9Ry84


knows the band and fully aware of their early work.Genre Type: Performance, Narrative or Conceptual? Are there elements of each? Describe them. If there is a narrative, what type of narrative is it? (Linear/Non Linear?)

Love is Easy music video is a pop rock genre which is aimed towards their readymade audience of fans (‘galaxy defenders’). The music video has a linear narrative, as the video is a part of intertextuality. This is shown by the artists way of referencing their earlier work, all their albums were recreated by props. Awards they have won ‘Brit’ award, Dougie Poynter’s win for the king of the jungle from ‘I’m a Celebrity; Get me out of here’ and Harry Judd’s winning the ‘Strictly come dancing’ trophy. Their video has the narrative of a thank you towards the fans, people who have helped them with their careers.


The props within the music video which are included are the use of signs of the different albums, as the band recreates them. The use of the award winning props within the clips show the achievements they have done. The symbolic codes within the music video are how the video is made for their audience, fan appreciation. The instruments, guitar’s, drums, microphones and Tom’s little pink ukulele(which the fans love) are a part of the props as they show the audience that they are a self-playing instrument band who sing and perform their own music. The signs are also props used within the video that the fans hold up to the band.

Setting- mise en scene The mise en scene of the music video is the artist costumes, the suits represent the years have passed that they matured up within the years. The band performance is set within a stage in an indoor concert to an empty room but as they preform to the camera their audience, the video then changes as the diegetic music builds up to the chorus introducing an audience of their fans holding signs.


The camera shows a medium shot opening the music video, the camera tracks following a band member, Tom Fletcher who is carrying his little pink ukulele. The camera lighting goes from low key lighting as the lights within the concert hall are switched off they then change to high key lighting as the lights are switched on. The diegetic sound of Tom walking to the stage, the lights being switched on as he reaches the stage are heard. As Tom turns his ukulele is then heard as part of the diegetic sound. The singing, instrument playing are a part of the diegetic as they are performing to the camera as a part of their fans. There is a tilt tracking shot used as the camera follows the artist with the camera. The camera is shown to be used as a hand held


camera, making it realistic and for the audience to be a part of the video. The long shot lets the audience see the props and what is going on within the video, focusing on Tom as he is composed centre of the video and the other band members within the shots too. The video uses tilts, tracking and panning to help keep the audience interacted with the video. The video includes mostly medium long shots as it focuses on what is going on within the video.


The video is aimed to please the fans of Mcfly. As Love is Easy music video is made for them, as a thank you as the band is giving something back. The producers uses the cheesy use of props and silly little things to include the genre of the music, making it realistic with the hand crafted props (the car, the clouds) which shows the pop rock genre as the guitars and diegetic represent the rock genre. The video is aimed towards their fans who range from the ages of 12-25, older teenagers are aimed towards as they have witnessed the intertextuality that is used (the band have been together for 10 years). The gender is aimed towards a more female audience even though some of their fans are male too, as the video is a pop rock video and focuses on the band itself; however it really is aimed at any gender of their fans. It is for their fans after all!

What ideologies are encoded in the music video?The messages that are included within this music video are how the band is appealing towards the audience with their earlier work, the video is made for their fans as they reference their other earlier work from the 10 years before. The video includes little parts of their careers and everything that has helped them.


30 Seconds to Mars – Closer To The Edgehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLqHDhF-O28

Genre elements Conventions presented in the Closer To The Edge Video

Performers/Characters – representations, stereotypes, behaviour, body language, specific pop stars

The performers within this music video are represented as a band to their fans; it represents their behaviour as they perform live. As a singer the lead singer Jared Leto is shown to have passion towards his music as he sings strong towards the audience so they can hear him. Their facial expressions as a band shows their passion, Jared Leto’s eyes as he stares at the audience shows his emotion within his singing and performance. This video shows the band take themselves seriously as a rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLqHDhF-O28


alternative genre band. The video includes the fans of 30 Seconds To Mars speaking about life, their philosophy in life.

Genre Type: Performance, Narrative or Conceptual? Are there elements of each? Describe them.

If there is a narrative, what type of narrative is it? (Linear/Non Linear?)

Closer to the Edge is a alternative rock genre. The music video is a performance narrative with a narrative of fans talking about their philosophy of life. The performance narrative is shown by the live performance that 30 Seconds to Mars presents the audience with.


The props in the video include the microphone, stand, guitars, bass guitar and drums all these have the connotation of the rock alternative genre and that they play their own music, as it is live. There is a motorbike used to show the rock and roll side of the main singer, Jared Leto. There is use of a flash light which shines brightly, this shows their power upon the stage. The symbolic code of this music video is how people see life, what they believe in and what struggles they face.

Setting- mise en scene Within the mise en scene the genre of music is shown through the bands clothes, the leather jacket Jared Leto wears, the vest tops and the rock look within their hair. Jared Leto’s hair is a mohawk hairstyle which is bright pink, this is a connotation of rebellion on the rock alternative front. The fans wear casual clothing and are supporting the younger fashion look, showing they look up to the band wanting to be them, following their rock style. The setting is shown by numerous different stages from different cities and the music video offers titles for each city. The band performs on a stage live in front of thousands of fans.


The use of low key lighting, the darkness and only a little light on Jared Leto’s face creates a dark dangerous feeling to the rock alternative genre that the band show. The low key lighting and white light on the drummer shows the rock and roll connotation of the rock band. The dialogue used show people, fans saying their philosophy on life. The music is clearly rock alternative as its loud, the music has a bass and is a heavy sound to it. The camera uses long shots to show the many fans the band has, their followers ‘tribe’. The


mid close ups show the faces of fans as they speak to the camera as if it’s the audience. The high angle shots show the crowds in the ‘mosh pits’ enjoy the music. The diegetic of the fans screaming show their fandom is insane.


The video is aimed to show the audience the faith they have within the world, their feelings and philosophy on life. The video is made to make the audience feel as if they are connected with the band, the intensity of Jared Leto’s eyes and their live performance to the audience. The video is said to be complete ‘epic’, the bands performance in different cities. The video is aimed towards their fans who range from the ages of 16- 25, older teenagers are known to like the band are said to be the best age group they can aim towards at as the band is alternative rock. The gender is aimed towards a more female audience as the band is guys who make 30 Seconds To Mars. Although the fan commentaries show male perspectives within the video, it can be seen that it’s a male audience also.

What ideologies are encoded in the music video?

The messages that are included within 30 Seconds To Mars’s ‘Closer to The Edge’ are how people see the world, the philosophy of life and how they feel alive. The fan commentaries show their meaning of the world and show how 30 Seconds to Mars live and feel closer to the edge.

analysis of 3 music videos (1)

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